Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Reno

Written by:
July 15, 2022
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Reno

Although it all depends on what you make of it, choosing to further your education may lead to higher paying job opportunities. An associate's degree takes just two years and offers more affordable tuition rates than a four-year school. As of April 2022, the average yearly salary for an individual with an associate's degree comes out to $45,989.

Students have a plethora of specialties to choose from when obtaining a 2-year degree, from industry-specific roles in health care or IT or a more generalized education path. Salaries differ between areas of study, job type, experience, and, of course, location. A Georgetown University study that looked at job growth and education requirements through 2020 stated that 30% of job openings required "at least some college or an associate's degree." Students can choose to head right into the workforce after earning an associate's, or continue their education toward earning a bachelor's degree.

The unemployment rate for associate's degree holders is only 2%, according to research from the Education Data Initiative. Having an associate's degree under your belt is proven to increase one's chance of holding a professional or management position in any number of industries, among them education and health, wholesale retail and trade, and professional and business services.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying jobs that require a 2-year degree in Reno, NV using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#26. Preschool teachers, except special education

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $29,900
- #401 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,550
- Employment: 370,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990)
--- Ocean City, NJ ($49,720)
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)

#25. Dietetic technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $38,910
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,920
- Employment: 26,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,550)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,700)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,370)

#24. Forest and conservation technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $40,320
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 30,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($68,370)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,570)
--- Corvallis, OR ($62,260)

#23. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $41,970
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- Employment: 108,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,410)
--- Napa, CA ($54,120)

#22. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $44,670
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,860
- Employment: 109,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,990)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,220)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($51,340)

#21. Physical therapist assistants

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $44,700
- #447 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,440
- Employment: 92,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($85,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($76,390)

#20. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $45,300
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,960
- Employment: 31,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($79,780)
--- Huntsville, AL ($78,320)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($76,970)

#19. Chemical technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $50,860
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,700
- Employment: 63,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($86,340)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($79,390)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($78,000)

#18. Paralegals and legal assistants

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $53,840
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,610
- Employment: 332,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($90,640)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($76,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,640)

#17. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $54,020
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 62,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS ($94,360)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($90,460)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($86,020)

#16. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,790
- Employment: 13,210
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($95,360)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($82,470)
--- Trenton, NJ ($80,110)

#15. Mechanical drafters

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $56,700
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,490
- Employment: 51,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,540)
--- Corpus Christi, TX ($90,720)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($82,590)

#14. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $60,230
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,590
- Employment: 67,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,190)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($83,250)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($81,340)

#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $60,770
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,310
- Employment: 115,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area ($99,890)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($91,980)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($90,780)

#12. Computer network support specialists

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $65,570
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,040
- Employment: 184,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($94,120)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($93,670)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($92,190)

#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $68,030
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,840
- Employment: 206,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($127,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($118,480)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,100)

#10. Architectural and civil drafters

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $70,430
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,120
- Employment: 99,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($76,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,700)
--- Anchorage, AK ($75,650)

#9. Respiratory therapists

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $71,180
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,640
- Employment: 131,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,330)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($101,690)

#8. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $71,430
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,940
- Employment: 55,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($99,130)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($94,400)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,140)

#7. Avionics technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $72,800
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,180
- Employment: 21,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,470)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($87,670)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($83,930)

#6. Occupational therapy assistants

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $76,970
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,420
- Employment: 42,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,570)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,720)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($77,650)

#5. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $78,830
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,880
- Employment: 39,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($112,580)
--- North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area ($91,580)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($91,550)

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $81,680
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,790
- Employment: 73,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($137,140)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,080)

#3. Medical equipment repairers

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $83,450
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,090
- Employment: 48,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($84,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,030)
--- Reno, NV ($83,450)

#2. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $83,740
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,960
- Employment: 39,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,930)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($120,550)

#1. Dental hygienists

Reno, NV
- Annual mean salary: $96,110
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,050
- Employment: 194,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($125,750)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($119,320)

Trending Now